They asked me if my baby could roll from his tummy to his back when I went to him for his four-month appointment. He makes an effort but falls short. He’s been here for 4.5 months. He also tries to roll from back to belly, but since we don’t spend a lot of time lying down for tummy time, I started to worry. Should he be doing all that already? Do I not go far enough?
As far as I can tell, newborns typically don’t exhibit any symptoms of their abilities until they suddenly wake up one day. Furthermore, just because they start at 4 months doesn’t imply they’re behind if they can’t finish by the time they turn 4 months (of course, there are outliers). I believe the range is 4–7 months.
babies typically start rolling over around 4 to 6 months old.
When my baby was approaching four months, I was anxious about developmental milestones too. I remember being told at a check-up that while some babies can roll from tummy to back and back to tummy by then, others might take a bit longer. We focused more on tummy time, and over time, my baby gradually met those milestones. If your baby is trying but hasn’t quite mastered it yet, it’s likely just a matter of giving him more tummy time and practice. Each baby develops at their own pace, so while it’s good to be aware, it’s also important to give him the chance to reach these milestones in his own time. If you have concerns, discussing them with your pediatrician can provide reassurance and personalized advice.